Flying-machine.



E. POLLAK. FLYING MACHINE.

I APPL'IGATIOYIILED DEC. 8, 1909. 1 349315 Patented D60.31,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l,

E. POLLAK, FLYING MACHINE. APPLIGATiON FILED D1308, 1909.

1,@ %9 315} Patanted Dec. 31, 1912:.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gag h w 'vbu-mow .14 I W m a efficient apparatus for TEN Enron.

ELI POLLAK, OF .WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO EDWARD E. CLEMENT, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FLYING-MACHINE.

ot-e315.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

Application filed December 8, 1909. Serial/No. 532,022.

lowing is' a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. My invention relates to aeronautics and has for its object the provision of safe and passengerand freight aerostation. Briefiy'stated, the invention comprises the following features: a combination gas bag and aeroplane; one or more boats support-ed beneath the bag or body; and a set of propellers driven interchangeably by a plurality of motors, and mounted in a frame in 'such manner as to be readily shifted'with respect to the boat and bag-universal joints permitting each or all of the propellers to be thrown to any desired angle for steering purposes, ascending or de'scendinm Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the complete machine, with the gas bag on a muclrreduced' scale; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same partly in scction;'Fig. 3 is an end view; Fig, '4.- isa plan view of the boat or car and the driving mechanism, on an enlarged scale; Fig. 5 is a side v ew of the same; and Fig. 6 is a detail transverse section on the line 66'of Figs. 1 and 2,1001;-

7 mg in the direct-ion of the arrow.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 1 is the gas bag or body,-by which flotation is secured. This is made in'elongated form with" pointed ends. 2 and 3, and a. divided body composed of two substantially cylindrical members l and 1 he details of constructionare indicated in Fig. 6, which is a section through the two members of the body lookingtoward the curved inner face of the pointer head 3. The body is formed of aluminum, and for a. many passenger-or freight carrying Inachine requiring a large lifting factor, it would necessarily be of very much greater size relatively to thecar and machinery than.

is indicated in thedr'awings, and it will be understood that the scale adopted'in these drawi'ngsis a matter of necessity and not choice, being due to the limitation in size prescribed by the Patent Office rules. It is unnecessary for me to give'dimensions, or

,specify the amount of displacement required to carry the machine and any stated that Ighave the advantage of not depending upon flotation alone by dis ilacement of air, since my aeroplane feature enables me to drive up or down, or glide on a wind, even when my gas has partly escaped or contracted by reason of low temperature. The gas bag can also be made smaller than in those built by Zeppelin and others, if.de-

sired.

In a large body, I use a double skin? and 'additignal weight, but I wish to-make clear with a common feed tube passing lengthwise through all the compartments for filling or inflating the same. The opening of the feed tube, as well as the openings in the" ends 2 and 3 are conveniently located for access from beneath, and I provide a gas generator or carbureter in the car or boat for supplying fresh gas from hydrocarbon liquids as occasion demands. In addition to the pressure of gas, I maintain the shape and rigidity of the body by means of a series of interior rings, frames or braces 11, 11.,12, 13, shown infull lines in Fig. 6 and in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. These also maybe of aluminum, orof other material.

A jack stay or rib 14 is carried around the inner opening 16 of the body, that is to bers 1 and 1.". From this are suspended 'rods 15 in a double parallel set carrying the boat .or car l7, in which is centrally located a pillar 18 carrying a turn table 19 in which is journaled-lhc propeller frame 20, carrying the propellers 21, 22, 23 and 24. The entire frame maybe turned by means of hand wheels .95 o icratin inions 26 mesh ing with a central gear wheel 27 secured to the frame 20. I provide two hand wheels, as in .a machine of any size thereshould. be more than one man at the wheel, since the air pressures tobc overcome will be large and at times-the steering di'lllmilt. The frame 20 consists of three parts, the

central portion 20 'and tr hinged end ;ings 38 and 39 carried on the frame, and seconnection 29 and with the spindles 21 22, and 23 and 24c of the respective propellers. These spindles are manipulated as to theirlateral angle by means of levers or slide bars 31, shown single but which in practice I prefer to make double, that is to say one lever or bar'for each of the links and 30 so as to permit separate adjustment,

of the propellers.

To permit the required movementof the propellers their spindles are connected to the main driving shafts 32 and 33 means ot universal joints 34, 35, 36 and '37. The driving shafts are journaled in lateral bearcured transversely across the frame between the bearings 39 areplatforms 40 carrying the engine units -11, 42 and 43. These are preferably internal combustion hydrocarbon engines, and each drives a transverse shaft 44, or-t6, through a clutch mechanism 4-.7, 4.8, 4901' 50. The shaft 44 isjcon-. nected to the shaft 45 by a beltor chain 51, and the shaft 45 is similarly connected to the shaft- 46 by a belt or chain 52, these belts or equivalent chains running over wheels keyed onto the respective shafts outside of the clutches. Both ends of each shaft are pro vid'ed with. miter gears by which power is communicated to the main shafts 32 and 33. Thusia uniform and balance of vpower de' livered to all the propellers is maintained at all'times and it should be observed that by disconnectingany clutch, the engine is thrown elf on both sides, so that the engine is not run cold as a dead weight on the live engine or engines. Thisis the purpose of having two clutches on the shaft 45. The clutches are shown as controlled by hand levers and as already stated the swinging propeller frames 20". and 20 are controlled by hand levers. To manipulate the various levers, the engineer or his assistant must pass along the frame 20, between the several platforms. If desired however Iran connect all these various levers by means of chains, wires, or other transmitting media, to con trolling devices accessible from the boat or car. a

In order to provide the aeroplaife feature I arrange a. specially treated sheet of fabric adapted in ler and width to cover the opening 16 between the side members 1 and l j and supported when extended by passingunder the cross braces 64:. If necessary -a dupli cate set of braces can be prov1 ded beneath the curtain to prevent saggmg, but in use the air pressure will be all from beneath. This curtain is normally,

when not in use, furled by rolling it on a drum or cross roller 61 at one end of the s ace 16 and is extended or set b means of when furled for purposes of setting, and

side ropes or stays are alsoprovided in prac-' ticc. It will be noted that the under side of 1 the body when the curtain is extended, is

concave for the best gliding effect, the side members l and l being parts of the working surface of the plane.

In Fig. 2 l have shown a convenient'form of lift for passenger and material hoist. It is my purpose to maintain my airship comfortably afloat, and it is my theory that in commercial navigation of the air, the same principle of constant flotation should obtain as in marine navigation. The question of effecting landings and of taking on and 0E petrol or gasolene as well as passengers and freight, is not rendered easy of solution. It will be noted that the swinging ends of my frame and the controlling levers for the fore and aft propeller shafts enable the navi-- gator to bring his craft to a standstill and maintain it against varying air currents in its own tendency to rise, in such a fixed po sition over any desired landing stage,- that the lift or hoist can be operated with ease and certainty. For passengers, guy ropes will probably be found essential, and some form of stays to prevent undue swinging, and in the form shown the lift is operated by the end engine 43, through the medium of a drum belted through suitable gearing to said engine.

made innon-essentiai features of this invention without departing from the scope and purview thereof, and I wish it distinctly understood that I now/contemplate all such J. am aware that many changesmay be non-essential changes as fairly falling with in the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A flying machine comprising two ex tended longitudinal substantially cylindrical bodies connected at their ends to form an elongated integral rigid gas bag or envelop having a width greater than its depth, with a longitudinal open space, and a boat or car hung from horizontal. common supporting members extending across said space, and lying beneath the same so as to maintain the greater axes of the side members horizontal, and driving mechanism carried on the said boat. V

2. A flying machine comprising an integral rigid elongated gas bag having a width greater than its depth, and formed of two substantially cplindrical parallel tubular side members, hollow pointed rigid end members-bridged across and forming common terminals for the side members, frame rOdS extending across the side members, m- ,tegral braces for each side member; and a car or boat hung from said frame rods beneath :the' central opening between the side members, and driving the boat,

mechanism carried on 3. A flying machine poihprising an elongated integral rigid gas bag or envelop having a width greater than its depth, with a central elongated opening, closed tubular side members, horizontal transverse connecta ing rods extending from one side member .to the other, pointed end members, a car or boat hung on said connecting rods beneath the open space so as to maintain the parallel slide bodies in the same horizontal. plane, driving mechanism carried on the boat, and a flexible and longitudinally extensible curtain adapted-to be stretched beneath said transverse rods from one end to the other, of the opening in the gas bag to form an aeroplane with a hollow or concave 'under surface.

' 4. In a flying machine, a rigid integral gas bag or envelopshaped to form an, aeroplane and comprising parallel tubular side members hollow pointed end members each connecte to bothside members and having its interior gas chamber connected with the 40 between the side members, and a boat or car suspended from said rods, with driving mechanism for the machine mounted on said car.

5. A H ing machine comprising an integral rigi elongated gas bag or envelop having a-7vidth greater than its depth, with a central elongatedopening and closed parallel tubular side members, pointed hollow rigid end members, connecting, the side members, transverse brace rods between the side members, a car or boat hung beneath the central opening on said,,brace rods so as to maintain the parallel side members in'the same horizontal plane, and driving mechanism carried on the boat comprising a frame, longitudinal shafts journaled on the frame, a driving engine in the boat, and propellers on the ends'of theshafts. w 6. A flying machine comprising an integral rigid elongated gas bag or envelop having a'width greater than its depth, with a central elongated opening and-closed'parallel tubular sidemembers, hollow pointed rigid end members connected across the side members at both ends, @DSVBISB brace rods between theside rods, atfar or boat hung beneath the central opening on said brace rods so as to maintain the parallel side bodies in the same horizontal plane, and driving mechanism carried on the boat comprising a frame, longitudinal shafts journaled on the frame, a driving engine in the boat,

jointed end sections for the shafts, propellers thereon, and means to move said end sections for steering purposes. 7

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ELI POLLAK.

Witnesses: CHARLES LOWELL HOWARD, JAMEs H. Mame 

